Securing device



July lo, 1945- F. A. BALLOU, JR

ASECURING DEVICE Filed June 2,5, 1943 ATTORNEYS Patented July 1945 UNITED 2,380,359 ,l il

y sEoUmNG DEVICE Frederick A. Ballou, `Jr., Providence,R. I., assign' or to B. A. Ballou & Co. Incorporated, a corporation of Rhode Island k Application J une 25, 1943, kSerial No. 492,25

This invention relates to a securing device of the type especially adapted to` grip and hold a shank or stud such for example as the rearwardly projecting shank of a button, and when used for this purpose t k is frequently termed a buton bac v Button backs as heretofore .provided have beenv relatively complicated and require some tool operation and assembly. Simplicity has been an object of a securing device or button back but certain limitations on the simplicity of the device are encountered. For instance if one piece of stock is provided and the resiliency of'that stock is utilized the difference in the temper or thickness of the stock usually accounts for such wide vari-y I ations that'the tolerances permitted cannot be met.

vOne of the objects of this inventionis to pro a button back which may be assembled upon av stud or pin by merely pressing the same into po.- sition without requiring squeezing for aligning any openings for the purpose.

Another object of the invention is a constructionin which such openings as are provided for the .reception ofthe stud may be maintained in alignment by positive stops withlout depending upon uniform resiliency (without guided arm action for the purpose. l

Another object of this invention is'to provide a button back which may be readily held vand gripped for operation. Q

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a button back'having sufficient resiliency i to permit it to be flexed or bent and held controlled so that the exing and bending of `the stock will be confined to certain limits.

Another object of the inventionis to provide a button back which will protect .the point of the stud or pin engaged.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully4 described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims. In the accompanying drawing: Fig. l is a sectional view illustrating the button back as being positioned upon the stud of a button which has been passed through a fabric;

to provide y' 2" `locking hook portions of the arm. f Each arm and its hook portion Fig. 2 is aback plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are sectional views on substantially line 3-3 illustrating different positions of the overlapping arms being moved to diierent relative positions with respect to each other; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmental sectional View lengthwise of the arm opening and illustrating the edge of the opening through one ofthe arms;

' Fig. '7 is a section at right angles to Fig. 1, showing gripping of the stud; and

Fig. 8 vis a section similar to Fig. l, showing a modified construction. In proceeding with this invention I have bent a ribbon` strip of metal or plastic stock, having suiiicient inherent resiliency tending to straighten out, into an arch with arm portions extending toward each other in overlapping relation. The overlapping'arms .are so arranged as to interlock and limit expansion or movement of the arms apart, At the same time the construction o-f the arms is such as to maintain the stud which is received in right angular relation to the arms for holding the parts in position. p v

With reference to the drawing, II) designates a lpiece of fabric to which it is desired to secure the button or emblem I I having a rearwardly extending stud, shank, or pin part I2 pointed as at I3 so as to easily pierce ythe fabric. The button backk is designated generally I4 and consists of a ribbon-like strip of hard roll stock I5'bent into the configuration best shown in section in Figurel. This conguration consists of a top wall lbulged upwardly as at I 'I to receive the pin point `It, then bent downwardly as at- I8 and inwardly to provide arms I9- and 20 extending toward each other in overlapping relation. The arm I-9 is bent on itself as at ZI to provide a hook portion 22 while the am 20 is bent on itselfv as at23 to provide a hook portion 24, The

hook portions inter-engage so that the inherent tendencyof the arched or bent 'ribbon of material to expand is prevented by reason of the interis provided with an opening.- Thus the arm I9 and its hook portion22 are provided with openings 25 and,26 while the arm 2D and its hook portion 24 are provided with openings 21 and 28. For greater Aeiiiciency .the openings, instead of being perfectly round, are somewhat of egg shape as seen more particularly in Figure 5 where it will be noted that there is a large end portion 29 and a small end portion 30 of each opening while the walls 3| or edges of the openings converge in a tapering relation. The'openings in each arm and its hook portion are arranged the same while the openings in opposite arms and hook portions are arranged oppositely as will be clearly noted in Figs. 2, 3, and 5.

The hook portions of the arms in their interlocking relation are so formed that the narrow portions 30 of the openings will always remain in registry-as illustrated in Fig. 5 so that the pointed end of the pin or stud may enter these overlapping or aligned portions of the openings and be pressed inwardly into the button back. As this movement occurs the arms are moved into more contracted relation such as shown in Fig. 3.

Along the tapering sides of each of the openings where the gripping occurs, the edges are each bent upwardly as shown at 32 of Figures 6 and 7 so that the ledge of the stock tends to dig into the stud or pin if it is attempted to be withdrawn while this gripping edge is in engagement with it, and further this raised portion which engages the stud will tend to be bent downwardly and exert a toggle action on the stud and further assist in holding `the stud in position. The four open- -ings which are provided, provide several points Y of contact on the stud (see Fig. 7), wedging from either side to align the stud at right angles to the outer or lower Iarm 2!! and position the stud so that its point will extend into the central bulging portion ll of the top I6 th'ereof.

In order to release the stud from the button back one engages the button back between his thumb and finger at the knurled portions 33 and 34 as shown in Figure l and pushes the arms toward each other into further overlapping relation. The inwardly extending sides I8 assist materially in affording a good grip. This moves the large portion 29 of each of th'e openings closer toward each other to release the stud I2 as shown in Figure 4 and permits the button back to be easily withdrawn therefrom. In order to prevent this releasing action from being moved too iar the arm 20 has an offset portion 35 providing a stop against which the fold 2l of the arm I9 will engage so as to limit the movement of the arms toward each other into overlapping relation, thus preventing any excessive pressure or strain being placed upon the arching of the button back to destroy the resiliency tending to move the one arm from the other which is desirable for the gripping relation.

In Fig. 8 instead of raising the edges of the openings in the arms, the arms are bowed as at 36 so that the same toggle effect, as explained above, is provided. Also, instead of providing an offset as a stop, as shown in Fig. 1, a nger 3'! of the desired length maybe raised from the side 38 to engage the return bent portion of the opposite arm and limit the movement thereof.

By the arrangement above described a considerable amount of tension may'be utilized in the button back because of the nicety of control of this tension by reason of the stops which limit movement of the arms in both directions. This nicety of control permits of use of a single stripy of stock bent into desired relation without too close a uniformity of gage of the resiliency of the stock or the thickness thereof which may tend to vary through a considerable range. The control enables th'e openings to be lined up so that no squeeze need be provided for pressing the back into locking position on the stud. Good binding effect is provided and by reason of the shape of the openings good clearance is had when it is desired to release the button back and withdraw the stud therefrom.

I claim:

1. A securing device for a shank element comprising a body formed of a single piece of sheet stock disposedin generally a loop with its end portions forming arms extending in opposite di rections and in overlapping relation, each of said arms being provided with an opening `to receive a stud therethrough, said body being under an inherent tendency to expand, cooperating means on said arms limiting their expansion to cause said openings to be in partial registration to receive said stud.

2. A securing device for la shank element comprising a body formed of a single piece of sheet stock disposed in generally a loop with its end portions forming arms extending in opposite directions and in overlapping relation, each of said arms beingprovided with an opening to receive a stud therethrough,` said body being under an inherent tendency to expand, each of said arms being folded to provide a hook, said hooks being in interlocking relation to provide means limiting their expansion to cause said Openings to be in partial registration to receive said stud.

3. A securing device for a shank element comprising a body formed of a single piece of sh'eet stock disposed in generally a loop with its end portions forming arms extending in opposite directions and in overlapping relation, each of said arms being provided with an opening to receive a stud therethrough, said body being'under an inherent tendency to expand, each of said arms being folded to provide a hook, said hooks being in interlocking relation to provide means limiting their expansion to cause said openings to be in partial registration to receive said stud, the fold of one of said arms being located to engage the body at a location adjacent the other arm to limit relative movement of the arms in the 'oth'er direction.

4. A securing device fora shank element comprising a body formed of a single piece of sheet stock disposed in generally a loop with its end portions forming arms extending in opposite directions and in overlapping relation, each of said arms being provided with an opening to receive a stud therethrough with the opposite edges of said opening being convergingly tapered in a. more confining relationship at one end than at the other, said body Vbeing under an inherent tendency to expand, cooperating means on said arms limiting their expansion to cause said openings to be in partial registration to receive said stud. i

FREDERICK A. BALLOU, JR. 

